Container opening device



Feb. 23, 1943. G. c. ERB

CONTAINER OPENING DEVICE Filed Dec. 31, 1940 INVENTOR.

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BYJ-MM Patented Feb. 23, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER OPENING DEVICE Application December 31, 1940, Serial No. 372,669

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a can or container opening device for friction plug covers and has particular reference to a prying lever opener which is loosely clamped onto the upper end seam and movable in either direction about the seam for prying and lifting a closed plug cover from a container.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a lever-lift type opener that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and is easily attached to the upper seam of a friction top container without altering the construction of the standard form of such a container whereupon the attached opener may be used many times in efficiently prying loose a plug cover and one which also permits the replacement of the cover to its original tightness.

An object of the invention is the provision of a receptacle opener of the lever type for the removal of friction plug covers from their closed or seated position on a container wherein the opener is permanently clamped onto the upper can seam and is movable therealong with a prying element disposed and adapted to engage beneath the cover flange so that an upward lifting movement of the lever raises the cover from its closed position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a lever type opener which does not require great accuracy in attaching it to an upper seam of a friction type container, an opener which is compact in its arrangement thereon and which is freely and easily shifted in either direction around the periphery of the container so that the prying action of the opener may be applied at different points under the flange of a friction seated cover to effectively and efficiently pry the cover loose and open the container.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper part of a closed friction plug container and a lever type opening device embodying the invention, showing the device clamped onto the upper end seam of such a container;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the container showing the lever opener attached to the double seam and in an inoperative position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section taken substantially along the line 33 in Fig. 1, showing the lever opening device clamped over the double seam and the prying element engaged beneath the flange of a plug cover;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the lever raised and the cover lifted from its closed position; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view with parts in section taken substantially along the line 55 in Fig. 4.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention there is shown in the drawing a sheet metal friction plug can comprising a cylindrical container body I I closed at its upper end by a friction ring 12 and a friction plug cover I3 which is seated within the ring. The friction ring I2 is secured to the container body II by a usual form of double seam joint 14.

The ring [2 has a counter-sunk Wall l5 set sufficiently below the upper edge of the container to form an annular channel I6 adjacent the double seam 14. This channel serves as a clearance space or track within which an opening device I1 is free to operate (Figs. 1, 3 and 4).

The opening device I! consists of a bracket 18 and a hand operated lifting lever I9. The bracket 18 is preferably formed from a single sheet of steel and is substantially S-shaped in outline. This bracket comprises a pair of parallel and spaced upstanding walls 2|, 22 which are joined together at their lower extremities by a short wall section 23 (Fig. 3). The upper end of the wall 22 extends outwardly over the top of the double seam I4 in a wall 24 and thence downwardly in an inwardly curved section 25 which follows the contour of the double seam. The lower end of the curved section terminates in an outwardly curved edge portion 26.

The hand operated lifting lever 19 consists of an elongated member (Fig. 4) and may be made from the same type of sheet steel as the bracket. The lever has a substantially closed U-shape cross section throughout most of its length and has a prying arm 21 formed at one end thereof by a laterally bent wall part which extends from one leg of the U-section.

The prying arm 21 is preferably of fiat, rectangular shape and is arranged to be inserted into a substantially triangular opening 28 formed in the wall 2| of the bracket (Figs. 4 and 5). Thi serves as a hinging and connecting means for attaching the lever to the bracket. An extension of the prying arm projects beyond the wall 2| and is interposed between an annular ridge 29 on the friction ring l2 and a hemmed edge ii that surrounds a flange 32 on the plug cover l3. Such a prying arm is disposed to lie flat upon the ridge 29 when the lever l 9 is in an inoperative position (Fig. 3)

The opposite end of the lever I9 is formed into a finger piece 33 with an edge .portion curved as at 34. This curved edge portion facilitates taking hold of the lever prior to swinging it from its inoperative position on the upper edge of 'the container (Figs. 1, 2 and 3). A laterally bent flange 35 extends outwardly from the finger piece 33 and engages over the edge of the double seam 14 when the lever is in its inoperative position. This flange retains the loosely connected lever in the inoperative position and allows for easy en: gagement by the fingers thus preventing the lever from dropping down into the channel.

The opening device I! prior to being attached to a container is first assembled by hingedly connecting the prying arm 21 to the bracket l8 so that the lever I9 is disposed between the vertical walls 21, 22. The opening device is then ready to be clamped onto the double seam [4 of the container. This may be accomplished by snapl ping theassembled unit over the double seam and pressing the wall 22 and the curved section 25 of the bracket together to form a loosely sliding connection with the seam.

The opening device loosely connected to a container as hereinbefore described may be freely and easily shifted. in either direction along the seam M. The lifting lever can be repeatedly operated as the opening device is moved from point to point around the periphery of the container so that the prying element 21 can be brought into engagement at any desired position beneath the hemmed edge 3! of the flanged plug cover (Figs. 1 and 3).

The rectangular dimensions of the prying element 2'! are'of suitable size to raise the cover from its seated position in the friction ring when the lever I9 is lifted (Figs. 3, 4 and This combined lifting and moving action for the removal of closed plug covers can be repeated many times on a single opening device without having to detach or replace the device for further use.

It is thought that'the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes maybe made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A container opening assembly for'removing flanged plug covers from friction type containers having outwardly projecting seamed end joints,

comprising a substantially S-sha-ped bracket member forming integral reversely opening U-shaped inner and outer channel portions, the outer channel portion being disposed over a seamed end joint of a said container in loose clamping engagement therewith for sliding movement of said bracket member thereon, a manually operable lifting lever pivotally housed within said inner channel portion of the bracket member, said lever having a substantially flat angularly extending cover engaging arm at one end and a finger engaging portion at the opposite end thereof, said arm extending through the innermost Wall of said inner channel portion for pivotally connecting said lever and bracket memher, said arm in one position normally engaging fiatwise beneath the cover flange when the cover is in closed position on the container, said arm being twisted to endwise position by lifting said pivotally mounted lever to pry up and remove the cover from the container, said bracket member and lever being movable as a unit along the seamed joint in either direction to place the same in various engagedpositions for prying said cover out of its closed position on the container.

2. A container opening assembly for removing flanged plug covers from friction type containers having outwardly projecting seamed end joints,

comprising a substantially S-shaped bracket member forming integral upwardly and downwardly opening U-shaped inner and outer channel portions, the outer channel portion being disposed over a seamed end joint of a said container in loose clamping engagement therewith for sliding movement of said bracket member thereon, .a manually operable lifting lever pivotally housed withinsaid inner channel portion of the bracket member, said lever having a substantialy fiat angularly extending cover engaging arm at one end and a finger engaging portion at the opposite end thereof, said ar-m extending through the innermost Wall of said inner channel portion for pivotally connecting said lever and bracket member, said arm'in one position normally engaging flatwise beneath the cover flange when the cover is in closed position on theconbracket member and lever being movable as a unit along the seamed joint in either direction to place the same in various engaged positions for prying said cover out of its closed position on the container. Y

GEORGE C. ERB. 

